Preview: 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost

Perhaps the most telling indication of its punch is that the 6.2L and the EcoBoost 3.5 are both rated for 5,136 kilograms of towing capacity.

PHOTO: Handout photo, National Post

By David Booth, National Post

Originally published: November 17, 2010

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Fontana, Calif. • So, this will be the grand experiment, perhaps the toughest test yet of whether all of this widespread environmental concern really does have legs, or if it’s just another Y2K tempest in a teapot. Ford, the most environmentally conscious of North American automakers, is about to unleash a serious “green” alternative to the hoariest of hidebound consumers, full-sized-pickup owners.

Nor is this supposedly eco-friendly F-150 some expensive, niche halo vehicle à la GMC Sierra Hybrids; the EcoBoost pickup is to be trumpeted as a direct alternative to Ford’s grandest V8, the 6.2-litre Triton that sits atop the F-150 lineup in the Lariat, Raptor and Harley-Davidson signature model. Said EcoBoost model is powered by a 3.5L V6 fortified with twin turbochargers. Both turbos are of the tiny variety, spooling up quickly to produce the massive low-end torque pickup owners worship. Indeed, judged from mere specification sheets alone, the little blown 3.5L V6 is all but a match for the 6.2L (and blows away a revised 5.0L V8 that also joins the F-150 powertrain lineup; a base, normally aspirated 3.7L marks the return of a V6 to Ford’s trucks). The 6.2L holds an advantage in horsepower — 411 hp versus 365 for the EcoBoost — but in the torque department things are much closer, the big V8’s 434 pound-feet are just 14 more than the diminutive 3.5L. Confusing the matter even more is that the EcoBoost 3.5’s maximum torque is actually produced at a much lower rpm — 2,500 versus 4,500 — than the gargantuan V8’s.

For those making the comparison to the 3.5L EcoBoost engine in the Ford Flex crossover — rated at a similar 355-hp, but only 350 lb-ft of torque — the front-driver is limited by its transaxle’s capacity to transmit torque. Ford has to limit the twin turbochargers’ boost to prevent the tranny from spitting gears; the rear-wheel-drive pickup six-speed automatics are far more robust and the twin turbos are allowed to huff and puff unfettered by concerns of fragging internal bits‚ hence the boost to 420 lb-ft.

In the limited driving afforded us in Southern California, it was the 3.5L V6 that felt the torquiest. It wasn’t a huge advantage, but the smaller engine pulled stronger at lower revs. It’s impressive stuff especially since the V6 feels just as smooth and quiet as the big V8. Because of the turbocharging, this is one V6 that doesn’t need to be spun for high rpm to maximize its acceleration. Perhaps the most telling indication of its punch is that the 6.2L and the EcoBoost 3.5 are both rated for 5,136 kilograms of towing capacity, somewhat more than the 4,545 kg the 5.0L V8 is rated for and almost double the 2,772 kg the normally aspirated 3.7L V6 can haul. Of course, the 3.5L should also achieve far better fuel economy. Ford hasn’t released official figures yet, but it does expect the EcoBoost to generate something in the neighbourhood of a 20% reduction in gasoline consumption compared with the big V8s.

Of course, a prodigious punch is only half of the equation for successful truck hauling — truck owners are also notoriously preoccupied with reliability. According to Jim Mazuchowski, engineering manager for the new V6, a number of modifications have been made to fortify the 3.5L, including stronger connecting rods, a tougher crankshaft and more rigid pistons (including a diesel-like steel ring insert just above the piston rings) to cope with the higher internal pressures. Variable valve timing is also employed on both intake and exhaust camshafts and there’s new porting in the inlet tract. As part of its marketing stratagem, Ford ran one of the EcoBoost engines for 240,000 km on a dynamometer and then installed the same engine, untouched, into a Baja race truck to compete in this year’s 1,000-mile event. Whether this enough to convince traditional truck owners that the little 3.5 is built Ford tough is a question only time and sales will tell.

Indeed, this is all a grand experiment. Even Barb Samardzich, Ford’s vice-president of powertrain engineering, isn’t quite sure of where it’s all leading. Convinced that EcoBoost is the future, Samardzich feels that “even our traditional pickup owners are concerned about fuel economy and the environment.”

As for the question posed earlier — which of the two engines, the frugal 3.5L EcoBoost or the more powerful 6.2L V8 — will be more popular, direct comparisons may be difficult. The big V8 is only available as an option on the top-of-the-line Lariat (as well as the Raptor and Harley models) while the 3.5 EcoBoost is optional on all models —XL, XLT, FX and Lariat — other than the STX. On all those models, however, the EcoBoost engine will be a step up from Ford’s 5.0L V8. It will be interesting to see, then, if the V8 proves more popular that the EcoBoost despite its 40 fewer lb-ft of torque and its reduced towing capacity. As I mentioned, the 2011 F-150 is very much a social experiment written on a sales chart.